Three Minutes ______
Three Minutes - 27 "Oh! dasharatha, You may not know about your son, but I do". I know You ! vishvAmitra continued, "King dasharatha, using the inner eye aham vedmi mahAtmAnaM called knowledge, I know rAma, you rAmaM satya parAkramam | do not know because you are using vasiShTho’pi mahA tejA the mere external eyes; I prostrated ye ca ime tapasi sthitaH || to scholarly teachers, I know Him, (shrI VAlmIki, shrImad rAmAyaNam prostrated by several ignorant bAla kANDam 19-14) people, you don't know; holding the grass (darbha) in hand, I know Him, aham vedmi rAmam - I have the holding the bow, you may not know; knowledge about rAma wearing the ragged hair, I know Him, mahAtmAnam - the superior soul wearing a jeweled crown, you don't satya parAkramam - (and has) know; filled with pure character truthfulness as His valor (sattva guNa), I know Him, brimming vasiShTo’pi mahA tejA api- (even) the with passion (rajo guNa), you don't great shiny VasiShTha ye tapasi sthitaH ime ca - (and) those know; following the discipline of saints who are present here (know having the seat and bed below the about rAma) teacher, I know Him, sitting above everyone on the high throne, you This verse (shloka) was spoken by don't know; having performed the R^iShi (seer) vishvAmitra to king rituals on the yearning of permanent dasharatha, Lord rAma's father. "I bliss (mokSham), I know Him; you have the knowledge about rAma, the led the rituals to beget the child superior soul, and whose valor is His (putra kAmeShTi) in this world, you truthfulness; even the great shiny don't know." vasiShTha and other saints here are also aware of that". "aham" is the word with which VishvAmitra started to indicate the Once, vishvAmitra came to King definiteness in his complete dasharatha for help, to slay off the knowledge of the paramAtmA demons (asuras) who were (Ishvaran). Our AcArya-s have disrupting vishvAmitra's rituals extolled this word "aham" to show (yaga-s). vishvAmitra asked for who will (try to) understand the Lord. rAma's help, but dasharatha pleaded vishvAmitra was first a king, then for an alternative. The King stated raja R^iShi (royal seer), then became that rAma was too young to confront a brahma R^iShi (seer in search of such mighty evils (rAkShasa-s) and the ultimate Lord), and finally thus, refused to send him. performed mokSha kAmeShTi (path dasharatha was willing to send the to achieve mokSham). On the whole army, or perhaps, even contrary, dasharatha is still himself. At that point, the sage said, immersed in earthly pleasures and
10/4/2010 Page - 1 A.S. Rajagopalan Three Minutes ______delusions, which do allow him to because of dasharatha's recognize rAma. hesitation and inability to live to his word. What PuruSha sUktam says, "I know that puruSha (brahman, the final 2. Give supporting materials Lord) is the supreme, too high to be Vishvamitra here, by contrasting understood" (veda aham etam his and dasharatha's approach puruShaM mahAntam ) and Lord and lifestyle, proves that he KR^iShNa said ( yo mAM pashyati knows about rAma best, although me na praNashyati ) seems to be dasharatha may be the father. literal translations by VishvAmitra. He is very careful in presenting his 3. Provide convincing witnesses . case. Along with VasiShTha, the Smart lawyers try to get royal teacher (rAja guru) Vishvamitra opponent's witness to side with names other sages like Kashyapa, them. VishvAmitra does the VAmadeva, in case VasiShTha same, by trying to take King's supports the King's inclination. own trusted gurus and friends on his side. PuruSha sUkta also states that "the wise understand Him as the primary 4. Lord and worldly pleasures are cause" ( tasya dhIra parijAnanti inversely related. They are like yonim ). ANDAL notes "the veda-s Ying and Yang. If one goes have conceded that You are the one higher, the other goes down. Best who cannot be measured" ( way to understand God is to have URRamuDaiyAi periyAi ) just in two the discriminative knowledge on words. In summary, VishvAmitra permanent and temporary (nitya understands that God is beyond all anitya vastu vivekam) things. modes of comprehension. That attitude will come only when one can steer away from worldly pleasures and can attempt to truly concentrate "Knowing the God is, knowing on shrIman nArAyaNa. that He is unknowable".
What we learn from here
1. Present your case strongly. VishvAmitra, like a shrewd lawyer, points that rAma is really great, regardless of His age; for example, VishvAmitra describes rAma as the "highest soul" and a "righteous person. VishvAmitra quietly reveals dasharatha as rAma's opposite
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